By this time the plans were pretty detailed
but still needed further refining and
the lengthy process of procurement of
contractors began. Work on the South
Curtain Wall started in May 2011 and
were soon covered in a mass of scaffolding.
We had decided that Lincoln Castle
should remain open to visitors throughout the works and although this can be an
uncomfortable mix, many of our visitors were fascinated to view progress, particularly on
the regular hard hat tours that were run.
Team Castle began to expand: film makers, model makers, interpretation specialists,
sound experts, education and volunteer team, audio tour specialists, web designers,
script writers, researchers, shop fitters, catering experts and so many more. Main
Contractor Woodhead Heritage were first taken on to build the Heritage Skills Centre
and then took on the walls contract when the original contractor went into liquidation.
This brought onto site stone masons, roofers, joiners, lead workers and decorators. In
2012 Rachael Thomas, Castle Development Manager joined and with a phenomenal
capacity for hard work took on the job of managing the delivery of the works from the
client side and getting the Castle `operation ready'. But no matter how the team grew, so
did the work load and the number of tasks that had to be completed by 1 April 2015.
12
Clockwise from right:
South Curtain Wall during and after
restoration; inside and outside the Heritage
Skills Centre; Castle wall before restoration.
The work
begins
"
...many of our visitors
were fascinated to view
progress, particularly on
the regular hard hat tours
that were run...
"